A judge from the Delaware Court of Chancery has ordered directors and officers of WWE to turn over documents and records previously provided to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the ongoing TKO merger lawsuit, according to a report from Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling.
The documents in question are related to federal investigations into the conduct of former executive Vince McMahon, in light of allegations and a lawsuit leading to his stepping down from the company.
The argument was made by the plaintiffs that these investigations are central to understanding why WWE merged with Endeavor’s UFC in 2023 to form TKO Group Holdings, alleging that McMahon predetermined the transaction to ensure his continued role at the company.
The DOJ investigation, reportedly into allegations of sexual misconduct connected to non-disclosure agreements signed by former WWE employees, has not resulted in any charges being filed, but the SEC investigation led to McMahon repaying $1.3 million to WWE and a $400,000 fine to the government.
One of the former employees tied to these NDAs is Janel Grant, whose civil lawsuit against McMahon and WWE is still pending in federal court in Connecticut.